How to choose an outdoor light fixture
Key takeaways:
- An outdoor light fixture is a lighting device designed to stay outside, on a facade, a terrace or along a pathway, protected against dust and water.
- The choice starts with the area to light: a wall sconce near the door, bollard lights along a path, stake lights in a flower bed, a ceiling light under an overhang.
- Check the IP rating shown on each product page, and have any fixed light fixture installed by a qualified electrician.
An outdoor light fixture is a lighting device designed to work outside, with a housing that protects the electrical parts from dust and rain. It lights the entryway, the terrace or the pathway, and highlights the facade once night falls.
This Lustria collection brings together wall sconces, bollard lights and posts, floor lamps on a pole, stake lights, porch ceiling lights and a few solar models, some of them by Maytoni. For indoors, browse our light fixture collection.
Outdoor lighting ideas for every occasion
Outdoors, you quickly lose track of time: conversations in the garden go on and, suddenly, it is so dark that you struggle to find your way back to the house. Garden lighting lets the evening carry on after nightfall.
It helps you move around safely by lighting paths and changes of level, then sets the mood for an intimate dinner on the balcony or a big party in the garden, whether you want a permanent installation or a solution you bring out as needed.
Choosing by location
The area to light most often determines which type of light fixture suits it.
Which area do you want to light?
For a path, you need guide lighting, which helps everyone follow the route, rather than a decorative model that would only light part of it. Near the door, a wall sconce placed above the threshold, or on each side, makes it easier to reach the lock.
On a terrace, several outdoor wall sconces spread across the facade give an even ambient light. So think about your space, and how you use it, before designing your lighting.
| Area to light | Recommended light fixture | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Front door | Wall sconce or wall lantern | Above the threshold or on each side |
| Pathway, garage access | Bollard lights and posts | At regular intervals |
| Flower bed, tree, low wall | Stake lights, adjustable spotlights | Beam aimed at the chosen feature |
| Terrace, staircase | Wall sconces, recessed marker lights | Grazing light on the steps |
Fixed light fixture or mobile lighting
The power source decides whether or not you can move your lighting. Fixed light fixtures connect to the mains, which makes them the ideal solution near the house.
By contrast, candles, battery-powered models and solar light fixtures can be moved whenever and however you like. If the area to light is far from the house, or if you want to adapt the light to your activities, choose one of these solutions, or a cordless lamp whose product page provides for outdoor use.
The different power sources
The power source is an essential criterion. A mains-powered LED light fixture shines with the same intensity for as long as you wish; as it is a permanent installation, it must be installed and connected correctly, by a qualified electrician. This is the case for most of our LED light fixtures.
A solar light fixture needs no wiring: it stores the sun's energy in a battery, then switches on at nightfall. Current models light better and for longer than they used to, and their battery only needs replacing when it stops working: once the light fixture is placed in the sun, you no longer have to deal with it.
Battery-powered lighting also needs no wiring and can be moved freely, but it gives off a constant light until the batteries run out. They need replacing more often the larger the light fixture is or the more it is used, which ends up costing a lot: for substantial lighting, switched on every evening, choose a solar or mains-powered version.
Functional outdoor lighting
There are two families of outdoor lighting. Functional lighting, generally fixed, helps you move along paths and trails, and lights specific areas such as a terrace; decorative lighting creates a mood for a party or an outdoor dinner. Combine them to build your lighting plan.
Wall sconces
Wall sconces highlight the facade while lighting the garden. They come in many models, classic or modern: cubes, cylinders, lanterns, linear bars, and double-beam versions, which light both upward and downward.
Some include a sensor, others are solar, but most connect to the mains. For a facade exposed to rain, take a look at our IP65 wall sconces.
Bollard lights and posts
Bollard lights, or posts, are ideal for showing the way along paths, the garage access and the surroundings of the house. Cylindrical, cubic or lantern-shaped, they give off a low light that does not cause glare.
Most often they require a power supply and a fixed installation, carried out by a qualified electrician, although a few solar models exist. Several have a matching wall sconce, or an outdoor floor lamp from the same family, for a coordinated garden.
Motion sensor light fixtures
Useful for deterring intruders and for moving around safely in the dark, they are fitted with an infrared sensor, which only switches the light on when someone enters its field. You use less electricity, and neither the neighbors nor wildlife are disturbed by a permanent beam.
Look at the detection angle, which indicates the width of the area covered. Some models also let you adjust how long the light stays on after being triggered, as well as the darkness level at which the sensor reacts.
Stake lights and garden spotlights
Stake lights light flower beds and the edges of paths. Solar versions can be set up in an instant, since you simply push them into the ground, with no wiring at all.
Complete them with mains-powered adjustable spotlights, perfect for highlighting a tree or a pergola. Connecting them is a job for a qualified electrician, and our IP65 light fixtures suit the most exposed locations.
Terrace light fixtures
They suit ground-level terraces as well as raised ones, where they mark the steps up and down. Recessed marker lights set into a wall give a grazing light that outlines each step.
If you are planning to build a terrace, choose your light fixtures before the work begins: recessed models are installed before the work is finished. Under an overhang, an IP65 ceiling light lights the table.
Decorative outdoor lighting
To create a mood, think of lanterns: they can be placed or hung, to play with points of light at different heights, and come in solar, battery-powered or candle versions, whose design shelters the flame from the wind.
For an outdoor dinner, a table lamp made of stone, glass or metal creates an intimate atmosphere at the center of the table; it often works with a candle, sometimes with solar energy. Our outdoor lamps complete this setting.
String lights spread a festive spirit, as at Christmas. Solar or battery-powered, white or colored, they wrap around a fence, a parasol, a trellis or a railing, and are held in place with outdoor hooks or clips, without drilling into the support.
Understanding the IP rating
Whether mains-powered, battery-powered or solar, outdoor light fixtures carry an IP rating (Ingress Protection), which indicates their resistance to the penetration of dust and water. The first digit concerns solid objects:
- 0: no protection;
- 1: solid objects larger than 50 mm (back of the hand);
- 2: fingers and objects of comparable size;
- 3: tools and wires of 2.5 mm or more;
- 4: solid objects larger than 1 mm (small tools);
- 5: dust that could damage the device;
- 6: total protection against dust.
The second digit concerns protection against water:
- 0: no protection;
- 1: vertically falling drops (condensation);
- 2: drops deflected up to 15 degrees from the vertical;
- 3: rain up to 60 degrees from the vertical;
- 4: water splashes from all directions;
- 5: low-pressure water jets;
- 6: powerful water jets and heavy seas;
- 7: temporary immersion;
- 8: prolonged immersion.
Thus, the IP44 rating protects against water splashes, the IP65 rating against dust and water jets, and the IP68 rating against dust and immersion. An X in place of a digit means the housing has not been rated on that point: an IPX4 light fixture resists water splashes without being rated for solid objects.
A high rating does not mean that a light fixture can be submerged: only the use stated on the product page is authoritative. A location exposed to rain requires a suitable rating, whereas the requirements may be different under an overhang or a porch.
Choosing by style
Black wall sconces with straight lines suit contemporary architecture, and carry through indoors with our black wall sconces. Lanterns with a bronze or gold finish suit a traditional house better.
Models that combine metal and wood bring a warmer note, and concrete bollard lights give a mineral character. Match the light fixtures of the facade, the terrace and the pathway to get a coherent whole.
The different bulbs
Also look at the type of bulb used. Incandescent bulbs, which heated a filament until it gave off light, were the least efficient and became very hot: they were withdrawn from sale between 2009 and 2012, and most halogen bulbs on September 1, 2018.
That leaves the LED bulb, which uses far less energy, lasts much longer and gives its full light as soon as it is switched on. If you have children or pets, always place light sources out of their reach.
Installation and safety
A fixed outdoor light fixture connects to the mains: its installation must be entrusted to a qualified electrician, in compliance with the NF C 15-100 standard. They will check the watertightness of the connection, the protection of the circuit and whether the IP rating suits the location.
Only a model designed for outdoor use, whose IP rating appears on the product page, can be installed outside, even under a shelter.
Maintenance
Switch off the power before any work, then dust the light fixture with a dry, soft cloth, removing the leaves, cobwebs and dirt that build up.
Avoid water jets, abrasive products and pressure washers. On a solar model, wipe the panel that collects the light from time to time, so that the battery recharges well.
Frequently asked questions about outdoor light fixtures
Here are the most common questions before a purchase.
Which IP rating should I choose for an outdoor wall sconce?
It depends on the exposure: a location exposed to rain requires a higher rating than a sheltered location.
The IP44 rating protects against water splashes, the IP65 rating against water jets. The rating of each model is shown on its product page.
Can an indoor light fixture be installed outside, even under cover?
No. Only light fixtures designed and rated for outdoor use can be installed there, even under an overhang or a pergola.
Humidity and condensation also reach sheltered locations, and an indoor model does not have the necessary watertight housing.
Where should I place a wall sconce near the front door?
Above the door or on each side, at a height that lights the threshold without causing glare, generally between 1.80 m and 2 m.
Two identical wall sconces give a symmetrical light. Your electrician will advise you depending on the layout.
What light color should I use outdoors?
A warm light, from 2700 to 3000 K, gives a welcoming mood on a terrace or a facade.
A neutral white, around 4000 K, lights a path or a garage more clearly. The shades available are specified on each product page.
Can I install an outdoor light fixture myself?
Not for a fixed light fixture: a wall sconce, a bollard light or a ceiling light connected to the mains must be installed and connected by a qualified electrician.
Only models without a connection, such as a solar stake light to push into the ground, can be installed without working on the electrical system.
Solar or mains-powered: which should I choose?
Mains power for regular lighting near the house, solar for a remote area or a point of light that can be moved.
A solar model avoids wiring, but its light depends on the day's sunshine, especially in winter. Its exact battery life is shown on the product page.
How do I light a garden path?
With bollard lights or posts placed at regular intervals, which mark the route without causing glare, on one side only or staggered.
For mains-powered bollard lights, running the buried cables and making the connection are a job for a qualified electrician.
What is a motion sensor for?
It switches the light fixture on only when someone enters its field, then switches it off after a delay.
It makes the entrance or the garage access safer. Check the detection angle, the range and the available settings on the product page.
Which light fixture should I choose for a covered terrace?
An outdoor ceiling light or a lantern hung above the table, complemented by wall sconces on the facade.
An IP65 pendant light suits a porch. Like any fixed light fixture, it must be installed and connected by a qualified electrician.
Which light fixture should I install near a pond or a swimming pool?
Only a model whose product page allows this use: a high rating, even IP68, is not enough.
The areas around a pond or a swimming pool are subject to specific safety rules: the installation should be entrusted to a qualified electrician.